RafaLint: November 7th

I think we need a bit of a distraction…

Articles:

IMG Says No Rafael Nadal Exhibitions Planned for Brazil in 2012 via marketwatch.com. Well, allrighty then.

Videos:

A few seconds of Uncle Miguel Ángel at a Rafa practice.
Junko really wanted us to see the interview that aired on Japanese TV during the Tokyo tournament, but the encoding proved to be a problem. So, she did the best she could by recording it for us off the screen. Thanks!
Flying Rafa at the end

7 Nov 2011 | by miri | 35 Comments

Tokyo: Junko’s final day

After the semi-finals on Saturday the tournament announced that the singles final match will be on at 12 noon on Sunday, followed by the doubles final. The doubles match was originally scheduled before the singles, but because Andy made it to both, according to ATP rules singles match had to be played the first. So I arrived around 11:30 in good time for the singles final, only to discover Rafa had just started practice in the Centre Court! He was wearing his bandana to cover the top of his head (like I remember from Indian Wells years ago… 2007?) and

11 Oct 2011 | by Junko | 6 Comments

RafaLint: October 9th

Articles:

Rafa likes noodles
Murray stuns Nadal then wins doubles in Tokyo via yahoo sports
In-form Murray Triumphs Over Nadal via the ATP
Andy Murray defeats Rafael Nadal in Japan Open final via BBC

Shanghai Masters: Draw Preview and Analysis by Nima Nadri (tennisconnected.com)
Can Rafa rebound from Japan loss? – a Shanghai preview by Ravi Ubha (espn.com)

Photos:

Photos from the Tokyo final in globalite’s flickr stream and in alex12ga’s
Rafa’s in Shanghai (thanks diannada and mydumbodumbo)

Rafa and footie:
Rafa has signed

9 Oct 2011 | by miri | 22 Comments

Tokyo: Final photos

Photos from yesterday’s match against Murray.

Photos by REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao, Koji Watanabe/Getty Images, AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye, Lintao Zhang/Getty Images, and KATSUMI KASAHARA/AFP/Getty Images

9 Oct 2011 | by miri | 19 Comments

Tokyo: Final videos

Highlights:

Posted by ATPWorldTour.

Posted by PartidoaPartido.

Trophy ceremony of awkwardness:

Posted by ksyuzi.

Post-match interview:

Posted by ATPWorldTour.

Other videos:

tve and iB3 reports with short Spanish interivew
Beautiful passing shot

9 Oct 2011 | by miri | 8 Comments

Tokyo: Losing from ahead

It was down to the top 2 seeds at the Japan Open today: Rafa and Andy. Would Rafa defend his first non-clay title? Or would Andy beat Rafa for the first time this year? I always love watching matches between these two – they are both thinkers and their rallies often feel like little mini-chess matches. They reminded me why they deserved this love right from the start of the match. In his first service game, however, Andy was having trouble getting his

9 Oct 2011 | by miri | 114 Comments

Tokyo: Semifinal videos

First set highlights:

Second set highlights:

More videos by PartidoaPartido on his site.

Hot shot:

Post-match interview in English:

Both posted by ATPWorldTour.

And here’s the post-match interview in Spanish.

9 Oct 2011 | by miri | No Comment

Tokyo: Semifinal photos

Photos from the semifinal against Fish.

Photos by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images, REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao, Koji Watanabe/Getty Images, and AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye

9 Oct 2011 | by miri | One Comment

Junko in Tokyo, day 4

Today our seats were even further away from the court than yesterday so it was impossible to get any decent photos of Rafa. The match was thrilling especially in the first set (Giraldo’s flat forehand returns were incredible!) and we all saw how Rafa raised his level and intensity for the 2nd set. We all enjoyed seeing his big VAMOS! I heard that Rafa had a practice in the Centre court in the morning. In the pre-match interview his main concern was the wind and of course, he was respectful of Giraldo, saying it would be a difficult match. It

8 Oct 2011 | by miri | One Comment

Tokyo: This isn’t Cincy

Rafa and Mardy Fish (#8) played the first semifinal at the Japan Open today. Rafa may have started the match playing a bit defensively and hitting short, but he didn’t stay that way. While both guys were holding at the start of the match, Fish was making far more headway into Rafa’s games than vice-versa. Until the 6th game. AgressiveRafa stood up and made himself known – he broke Fish and then served out the set 7-5. The second set was much

7 Oct 2011 | by miri | 27 Comments